New York police have released two photographs of an unmasked individual wanted for questioning in connection with the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Thompson, 50, was shot in the back on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
The attacker fled the scene without taking any of Thompson’s belongings, leading authorities to believe that the incident was a premeditated act. Investigators are utilizing facial recognition technology and analyzing bullet casings with cryptic messages to help identify the suspect, though the motive for the shooting remains unknown.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:45 a.m. EST (11:45 GMT) near Times Square and Central Park, shortly before Thompson was scheduled to speak at an investor conference. Police reported that the suspect, dressed in a black face mask and a light brown or cream-colored jacket, appeared to have been waiting for Thompson outside the Hilton.
After arriving on foot, Thompson was shot in the back and leg, and he was pronounced dead approximately 30 minutes later at a local hospital.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny indicated that the suspect’s weapon appeared to jam during the incident, but the individual was able to quickly rectify the issue and continue firing. CCTV footage suggests that the gunman may have equipped a suppressor, or silencer, on his firearm, which Mayor Eric Adams described as unprecedented in his experience. “I’ve never seen a silencer before; it was shocking,” he remarked in an interview.
Investigators believe the weapon involved could be a BT Station Six 9, a firearm with historical ties to WWII-era Allied special operations. Police have visited gun shops in Connecticut to trace the weapon’s origins.
Eyewitness accounts and video evidence depict the suspect fleeing on foot, with initial reports stating he may have used an electric Citi Bike owned by Lyft. However, Lyft later clarified that their vehicle had not been involved, according to CBS News.
As the investigation continues, officials have released images of a man without a mask who apparently used a fake ID to check into a nearby hostel. Authorities suspect that this person may have traveled to New York on a bus that originated in Atlanta but have not confirmed if he is the same as the shooting suspect.
In earlier surveillance efforts, police revealed the suspect was seen at a nearby Starbucks shortly before the crime. Although masked in the footage, his eyes and part of his nose were visible.
Authorities have not yet identified a motive for the killing, but they noted that Thompson’s belongings were not taken. Investigators are also examining three bullet casings and three live rounds found at the scene for DNA evidence. Two law enforcement sources indicated that the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” were found on the casings, which may reference tactics used by insurance companies to deny claims.
A mobile phone believed to belong to the suspect was located in an alley along the escape route, and authorities are working to analyze its contents. Additionally, a coffee cup thought to be discarded by the suspect has been collected for fingerprint analysis at an NYPD crime lab.
Investigators executed a search warrant for a location in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, which the suspect was seen entering earlier on the day of the shooting. This area is near the Frederick Douglas housing project, where surveillance video captured the suspect outside at approximately 5:00 a.m.
Thompson had joined UnitedHealth, the largest private insurer in the US, from PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2004 and had risen to the position of CEO in 2021, leading the company through a series of profitable years.
Despite earlier threats against him, details remain scarce. In an interview, Thompson’s wife acknowledged there had been “some threats” towards him, but specifics were not provided. In 2018, police in Thompson’s hometown of Maple Grove, Minnesota, investigated a suspicious incident at their home but found no evidence of criminal activity.
Credit: BBC News
